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Latterly, in the post 1871 numbering scheme, The Ball was at 203 Pond Street. It was located close to the Midland Railway Station, built in 1870. Pond Street was renumbered twice before this, the Ball being No 56 until about 1841, then No16 until about 1871. There are a number of sources which refer to the pub as the Golden Ball, and one called it the Old Ball. In the notes below it has been written as shown in the source. *
Directory of Pubs in the UK, historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Sheffield, Yorkshire.
Residents at this address.
1822 – 1831 - Mrs Mary Petty *
Probably 1831 - bought by Thos Rawson & Co., of Pond Street Brewery *
1834-1837 - William Petty *
1841-1856 – William Holland *
1857-1861 – Joseph Parr *
1861-1862 - William Gilpin *
1862-1881 - James Phœnix *
1883 – Mrs Smith *
1887-1900 – Tom Sharp *
1900 – pub demolished *
History and Sources *
Date established not known. *
1822 Baines Directory – The Golden Ball, 56 Pond Street, Mary Petty *
1825 Gell’s Directory – The Ball, 56 Pond Street, Mary Petty *
1828 Blackwell’s Directory - The Ball, 56 Pond Street, Mary Petty victualler *
1831 – The Ball, Pond Street, freehold for sale. For many years kept by Mrs Petty. (Sheffield Independent - 10 September 1831). It is likely that it was bought by Thomas Rawson of
Pond Street Brewery. Other state that it was acquired before 1844 which would fit. *
1833/(Ball) William Petty / Victualler /../../White�s Directory of Sheffield **
1834 Pigot’s Directory - The Ball, Pond Street, William Petty *
1837 White’s Directory – The Ball, 56 Pond Street, William Petty *
1841 Rodgers’ Directory - The Golden Ball Inn, 56 Pond Street, William Holland *
1841/(Golden Ball) Wm. Holland/../../../Pigot�s Directory **
Pond Street was renumbered in the 1840s, 56 becoming 16*
1841 Census – William Holland, file cutter. House not numbered, but listed between 12 and 18 suggestive of no 16. It is probable that this is the right property, though the license is
not mentioned. William Petty was a publican in Pinfold Street by then. *
1845 White’s Directory - The Golden Ball Inn, 16 Pond Street, William Holland *
1849 White’s Directory - The Ball, 16 Pond Street, William Holland *
1851 Census – Will Holland, Pond Street, victualler (no number or pub name) *
Mar 1852 – Golden Ball, Pond Street, in occupation of William Holland, to be let by Thos Rawson of Pond Street Brewery. (Sheffield Independent - 20 March 1852) *
1852 White’s Directory – The Ball, 16 Pond Street, William Holland, victualler *
1854 Kelly’s Directory – The Golden Ball, 16 Pond Street, William Holland. *
1855/(Golden Ball) Joseph Parr/../../../Slater�s Directory **
1856/Joseph Parr / Victualler /../../White�s Directory of Sheffield & Rotherham **
1856 White’s Directory - The Ball, 16 Pond Street, William Holland *
1857 White’s Directory – The Golden Ball, 16 Pond Street, Joseph Parr *
1861 Census - 14½ Pond Street, Joseph Parr, butcher and publican. No 16 is listed as a separate property next door – perhaps Parr chose to live in the butcher’s shop and let the rooms in the pub. *
2 Aug 1861 - License transferred – Joseph Parr to William Gilpin (Sheffield Independent - 3 August 1861) *
1862 White’s Directory - The Golden Ball, 16 Pond Street, Joseph Parr (so clearly a little out of date) *
7 June 1862 – Joseph Parr, late of the Golden Ball, Pond Street, died. *
1 Aug 1862 - License transferred – William Gilpin to James Phœnix (late of the Crystal Palace, Tenter Street) (Sheffield Independent - 2 August 1862) *
1862-73 – several newspaper references to James Phœnix of the Old Ball Inn amongst many just as the Ball Inn. He ran a rabbit coursing sweepstake which was advertised frequently. *
1871 Census - James Phœnix shown as a Britannia metal smith, as he is in the 1881 census. The pub is not mentioned nor his being a victualler. The census shows James Phœnix in Lead Mills Road (unnumbered) which is the southerly continuation of Pond Street. Next door at No 12 is John Tripett. The 1862 White’s Directory shows John Trippett at 12 Pond Street, next door to the Ball, so I think this is probably an enumerator’s error, so should be Pond Street, not Lead Mills Road. *
Pond Street was renumbered in the early 1870s, 16 becoming 203. *
Jan 1878 – advert for sale of horses, etc., by James Phœnix of the Ball Inn, Pond Street (Sheffield Daily Telegraph 15 January 1878) *
1879 White’s Directory – The Ball Inn, 203 Pond Street , James Phenix [sic] *
Nov 1880 – Ball Inn, Pond Street offered to let by Pond Street Brewery with immediate occupation. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 29 November 1880) *
1881 Kelly’s Directory – The Golden Ball, 203 Pond Street , James Phenix *
1881 Census - 203 Pond Street , James Phenix, Britannia metal smith and licensed victualler *
Mar 1883 – Mrs Smith of the Ball Inn...... a staff vacancy advert. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 17 March 1883) *
13 Sep 1884 – James Phœnix late of the Ball Inn died. *
1887 – Tom Sharp of Ball Inn, Pond Street. (Sheffield Evening Telegraph - 21 October 1887) *
1891 Census – The Ball Inn, 203 & 205 Pond Street, Tom Sharp. His parents had occupied the Barrel Inn, Pond Street. *
1893 Kelly’s Directory – The Ball Inn, 203 Pond Street, Tom Sharp. *
1896 Insurance Map – shows 203 & 205 as a public house. Not named on this map, but is named on the 1889 OS map. *
Oct 1899 – Tom Sharp, Ball Inn, Pond Street (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 17 October 1899) *
1 Aug 1900 – fixtures and fittings of Ball Inn offered at auction on behalf of the Midland Railway Company - Midland Railway Extension. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 31 July 1900). *
3 Aug 1900 – Ball Inn, brick built, slate roof building offered for sale to contractors. Not stated, but presumably for demolition and reclamation of materials. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 28 July 1900) *
24 Aug 1900 - Ball Inn, Pond Street, Tom Sharp - License lapsed, house to be pulled down (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 24 August 1900) *
* Provided By Bill Swift
** Provided By Stephen Harris